“O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” (Isa 2:5), “walking in love” (2 Jn 6), “. . only to do the right and to love goodness humbly walking with our God” (Mi 6:8).
For me, March 19, 2011 (Saturday) was a “walking day” with the Lord. I honored the feast of St. Joseph with my attendance to the 5:30 am Holy Mass. In thanksgiving, I recalled how I withstood the trials during the preparation until the presentation/facilitation of the talk, Growing in faith and knowing God’s Will that was implemented first Friday evening (March 4, 2011) and the feeling of gratification as worship leader (March 18, 2011) with the same theme.
As “man of the month” for March and in my capacity as Mission Director, I took over the role as breakfast head with the absence of Kuya Paskie Tabuac who together with Ate Pureza, they were in Ormoc City to serve as couple sharers there.
It was a week after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan that I supposed the unfavorable weather during that scheduled Saturday men’s breakfast fellowship was an aftereffect. Kuya Gil Sanchez, our brother sharer from BCBP Mactan arrived early followed by three (3) unexpected walk-in guests: 2 ladies and a gentleman. They were curious and interested to join. With due respect to our invited sharer, I asked his permission whether he can allow the “unusual” to happen. Our brief exchange of pleasantries revealed that our “out of the blue” visitors are members of the “International Strategic Apostolic Alliance of Churches and Missions” (ISAAC).
Then, the main part which was the “sharing portion” proceeded without the usual introduction and “traditional BCBP welcome” for guests who come for the first time. Anyway, the message I got was about “struggle and perseverance to succeed in life in spite of economic difficulties dependent on God’s Divine Providence”.
Our fellowship ended with the invitation by our BCBP Consolacion Chapter Head to join the afternoon’s “Penitential Walk for Life” along with the other BCBP Chapters in Cebu and all other covenanted or religious Communities to express our opposition to the Reproductive Health (RH) or Responsible Parenthood (RP) Bill.
After freeing our brothers who may have appointments, our Chapter Head called our 3 guests to the podium to introduce themselves. The younger lady served as the spokesman. She claimed that it was an appointed time provided by God after being delayed from their scheduled flight bringing them to our fellowship. I was awed and astonished how she recalled their elementary days with our sharer as the number one in the class, her younger brother second and herself, the third. With conviction, she dramatized how she offended our sharer by striking him with a broken pencil (this time with a broken chopstick) on his forehead. Wow! It was a “public display of reconciliation” (PDR). The offended one forgets the past but the offender has a “long penitential walk” to free herself from the significant duration of carrying the guilt.
The whole day was gloomy but it did not deter me from joining the “Penitential Walk for Life” late afternoon and early evening. The absence of a public transport from Ayala prompted me to walk briskly and sometimes running with my umbrella open to catch up with the 6:00 pm assembly time at Fuente Osmeña but was 36 minutes late (exactly the same time frame our morning guests experienced with boarding). But then, I was able to join the Celebration of the Holy Mass with Bishop Jose Palma as the main celebrant at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. It was scheduled to coincide with his first birthday celebration as the new Archbishop of Cebu.
Although alone but I was carrying with me two (2) identities: my BCBP Consolacion T-shirt and my Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Phils., Inc. (KCFAPI) umbrella. I was among the overflowing people outside the Cathedral who experienced the non-stop drizzling rain since early morning until the evening. Sharing my umbrella with a brother from the Family Life Apostolate (FLA), we finished our attendance to the anticipated Mass bringing home the message, “This is My Son, the Beloved, My chosen One. Listen to Him” (Mt 17:5). nmg
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